Owasso council approves library-lofts PUD, alley closure and TIF financing despite public concerns

The Owasso City Council on a unanimous vote approved a planned unit development (PUD) that would allow construction of a mixed-use building housing a new Tulsa City-County Library branch on the ground floor and 59 apartment units above, and took three related actions to clear the site and authorize financing for public infrastructure.

The PUD, adopted as ordinance 1,237, would rezone the property at 103 W. Broadway from a mix of downtown-mixed and public-facilities zoning to downtown-mixed and place the project under a PUD overlay that allows some deviations from base standards. The council also approved an ordinance to close an alleyway through Block 14 of Owasso’s original town plat (ordinance 1,238) and approved two actions by the Owasso Public Works Authority (OPWA) allowing the authority to assume indebtedness tied to tax-increment financing (TIF) support for the project, including a potential $150,000 reimbursement to the Tulsa County City-County Library Commission for public infrastructure.

Why it matters: The project would more than double the library’s footprint downtown and adds high-density housing directly adjacent to the library. Supporters say the project will modernize library facilities and add residential activity downtown; opponents said the plan was not adequately vetted with neighbors and raised concerns about parking, public safety and loss of the current library building footprint.

Alexa Beamer, the city planning staff member who presented the item, said the subject property is about 1.83 acres and that the PUD would permit a four-story building with the library on the first floor and three residential floors above. Beamer said the PUD application shows a total of 59 dwelling units (about 32.24 units per acre) and that the PUD document sets amenity features including a rooftop pickleball court, rooftop seating and an outdoor kitchen, a child play area, and a courtyard. “They’re proposing 21,000 [square feet] per the PUD,” Beamer said when asked how the proposed library compares with the existing building, which she said assessor records list at roughly 9,000 square feet.

Several members of the public urged the council to reconsider. Kimberly Osmond, identified during public comment as a longtime Owasso resident, described frequent personal use of the existing library and said, “There have been numerous meetings, and at no meeting was this even suggested,” adding that social media reaction had been largely negative. Jill Lavenduski, also speaking during public comment, asked how the project would affect parking and who would live in the new apartments, and said, “This is stupid and ridiculous.”

Council members asked staff procedural and design questions. Councilors asked whether noise or facade issues would be handled at the specific-use-permit and site-plan stages and whether residential amenities would be separated from publicly accessible library spaces; Beamer said separation and design details would be addressed during the site-plan and building-review phases and that the PUD allows some flexibility in access and parking configuration but that final plantings, screening and several design requirements must meet chapter 19 of the Owasso zoning code.

The council’s action also included approval of a related alley closure that the developer said is necessary for the proposed building footprint. Beamer reported the alley closure area is roughly 6,000 square feet and that utilities now in the alleyway would have to be relocated before final closure. She said state law requires the alley be divided among adjacent property owners if closed, and she advised the applicant to pursue a district-court vacation to clear title issues after the council action.

On financing, staff told the council that OPWA trustees are considering a development-and-financing agreement with West Family Development LLC and a joint resolution to reimburse the library commission up to $150,000 in incremental TIF revenue for infrastructure improvements. Staff said those OPWA obligations would be debt of the public trust if payments extend beyond the current fiscal year and therefore require city-council approval. Councilors were told the OPWA items are contingent on OPWA trustee approval.

Votes at a glance: ordinance 1,237 (PUD and rezoning to downtown-mixed) — approved unanimously. Ordinance 1,238 (Block 14 alleyway closure) — approved unanimously. OPWA indebtedness for the West Family development (development-and-financing agreement) — council approved contingent indebtedness. OPWA joint resolution authorizing up to $150,000 reimbursement from TIF incremental revenue — council approved contingent indebtedness.

The developer’s conceptual site plan shows the building pushed toward Main Street to prioritize pedestrian scale, with a mix of on- and off-street parking that staff said will exceed base-code parking requirements even with a few proposed landscaping and parking-island-width reductions spelled out in the PUD. Final building plans, access configurations and any noise or security measures will be reviewed in later site-plan and permitting stages; utilities in the alley must be relocated before a formal vacation is filed with the district court.